Bicycle-saddle



No. 6 2l,607. Patented Mar. 2|, I899. G. 'P. HOLDEN.

BICYCLE SADDLE.

(Apph ton fll dJ'an.4 1898 (No Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

GEORGE PARKER HOLDEN, OF KINGSTON, NEW YORK.

BICYCLE-SADDLE.

SPECIFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,607, dated March21, 1899.

Application filed January 4,1898. Serial No. 666,582. .(No model.)

To a. whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE PARKER HOL- DEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Kingston, in the county of Ulster and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bicycle Seats orSaddles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a saddle for bicycles affordingsecurity, ample support, and comfort to the rider without the use of arigid pommel, a saddle free from undue chafing and wherein the liabilityof injury from pressure or bruising is reduced to a minimum, a saddlewherein the principal weight of the body is borne upon the tuber ischiior natural support ofvthe body in a sitting posture, free from perinealpressure, a saddle flexible and yielding more at the front than at theback, so as to conform to the shifting and alternating action of thebuttocks and movement of the limbs in pedaling, and

which at the same time sets low and largelyabsorbs Vibration.

In carrying out myinvention I provide a spring formed from a singlelength of springsteel wire, bent so that the structure is alike atopposite sides of the central line, but reversed. In forming the springthe single length of wire is bent double to form a baseloop, each memberof which is then bent double and continued forward and upward, bentdouble again and inclined downward and continued backward and outward,and

4 formed into ovoidal spirals with the smaller convolutions thereofdownward'and the ends parallel and side by side and in line with theparts of the base-loop, and which ends, together with the parts of thebase-loop, are connected and rigidly held by a metal plateclip. As acovering for the spring I employ topand bottom pieces of leather whoseedges are sewed together around the boundary of the members of thespring and with intermediate pads of felt. The leather cover conforms tothe spring-outline, with an open center and with forward flaps andwith aback edge rib tapering inboth directions to the sides of the saddle. Theunder leather is cut for the covered and exposed parts of the spring attheir horizontal plane of intersection, the forward elevated parts ofthe spring and the upper part of the ovoidal convolutions being betweenthe parts of the leather seat. A clip fastens the base-loop to thebicycle saddle-post.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view representing my improvedsaddle. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a crosssectionof the saddle and spring, looking to therear of the saddle. Fig. iisaplan of the single-piece steel-wire saddle-spring. Fig. 5 is anelevation and partial section of said spring,taken through thelongitudinal center. Fig. 6 is a rearward perspective View of thespring. Fig. 7 is an inverted plan of the intermediate felt pads. andpartial section of the clip as securing the base-loop of the spring tothe seat-post of the bicycle, and Fig. 9 is a sectional plan at y 'y ofFig. 8.

The spring-frame of the bicycle-saddle is constructed of a single lengthof spring-steel wire of suitable diameter and temper bent double to formthe base loop a and then shaped to form the bends b b, theforwardextending and rising portions 0 c, the double downward-inclinedbends d d, the backward outward-curved portions e e, the ovoidal spiralsf f with the smaller convolutions downward, and the ends 9 g of saidovoidal spirals parallel and side by side and extending be tweenportions of the base-loop a. The metal clips h extend over and grip theends 9 g and also the parts of the base-loop and the intermediate ends gg to hold the base parts of the spring firmly together adjacent to theportion that is secured to the seat-post of the bicycle.

The covering of the spring comprises the under leather 2', the surfaceleather is, the upper pad of felt Z and the underpad of felt m. Theseparts conform generally to the outline of the'spring, with an opencenter, and the leather portions are preferably sewed together outsideof the boundary of the spring,

with the pads between the leather portions and their edges extendingslightly over the edges of the spring. The under pad is pref erably madewith two openings, as shown in Fig. 8 is an elevation Fig. 7, whichopenings providefor the saddle shaping to the figure of the rider andalso as a means of ventilation-to the saddle.

The rear portion of the upper pad of felt Z is preferably larger thanthe under pad, and the same is rolled over to form the inside of the rib1', this rib being largest at the center and tapering-to nothing at thetwo sides of the saddle, the leather being sewed through the felt andthe leathers sewed together at the back, so as to make a form that willmaintain its shape.

It will be noticed from the drawings that the structure is alike atopposite sides of the central line, but reversed. This structure isadapted to yield more at the front than at the back of the saddle, andbecause of the open center each front portion has a yielding actionindependent of the other, and when the rider is seated upon the saddlethe rear rib t" is covered and is more or less sat upon throughout itslength,and the same forms a stead yingpoint to help the rider keep hisseat and assist in guiding the cycle as effectively, but more desirably,than was the case with the pommel of the old rigid saddle, and at thesame time the forward portions of the saddle are adapted to yieldindependently with the movements of the limbs of the rider in pedalingand to move alternately without any injurious eifect to the saddle, andthus to assist the com fort of the rider.

In the structure of the saddle the intermediate felt pads set over thewire spring, so that the rider does not feel the pressure of the spring,and the saddle being open through the greater part of the centerobviates any tendency to perineal pressure.

It will be noticed, especially from Fig. 2, that the under leather 'i ofthe saddle is cut at 3 4 from the edge inward, so as to receive themembers of the spring at their horizontal plane of intersection, thelower portion of the ovoidal spirals coming out from between theleathers of the seat and the rising portions 0 0 going in between saidleathers.

I have shown the following portions, comprising a clip, for securing thebase-loop of the wire spring to the seat-post of the bicycle.

This clip is composed of a yoke 0, with a lower internal rib 0 and withan interiorly-threaded opening in the upper portion to receive theclamp-screw s and a cross-bar 0, against which the end of the screwbears.

The parts of the base-loop a of the spring are received beneath the clipand upon the seat post, and the pressure of the screw clamps the partsfirmly in place, the function of the rib 0 being to prevent the rotationof the clip upon the seat-post. I, however, do not limit myself to theemployment of this clip.

I claim as my invention 1. In a bicycle-saddle, a supporting-springformed from a single length of spring-steel wire bent double andcomprisinga base-loop, adjacent bends, forward-extending and risingportions, double downward-inclined bends at the forward end, backwardoutward-curved portions, ovoidal spirals with the smaller convolutionsdownward and the ends thereof parallel, and means for connecting theends together and to the members of the base-loop, substantially assetforth.

2. In a bicycle-saddle, a supportingspring formed from a single lengthof spring-steel wire bent double and comprising a base-loop, adjacentbends,forward-extending and rising portions, double downward-inclinedbends at the forward end, backward outward-curved portions, ovoidalspirals with the smaller convolutions downward and ends that areparallel and extend side by side and between portions of the base-loop,and clips embracing the ends and parts of. the base-loop for clampingthem together, substantially as set forth.

3. Ina bicycle-saddle, a spring formed of a single length ofspring-steel wire bent double to form a base-loop and having bends andforward-extending and rising portions with two forward bends andbackward outward-curved portions and ovoidal spirals with the smallerconvolutions downward and the ends parallel, and a means for securingthe ends together and to the base-loop, theleather surface-covering forthe springs and the leather under covering united together by sewingaround the boundary of the springs and at the opposite edges of theforward-extending portions to form an open center at the pommel, andintermediate pads between said leathers, the saddle structure beingalike at opposite sides of the central line, but reversed, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a bicycle saddle, a spring having ovoidal spirals at the seatportions and separate pommel portions independently yielding with themovement of the limbs of the rider, and a covering divided at the pommelto conform to the spring and comprising an under leather, a surfaceleather and alining of felt, and having a rib projecting above thesurface at and conforming to the back edge or cantle and tapering fromthe center in opposite directions to nothing at the two sides of thesaddle, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a bicycle-saddle having a leather and felt covering centrallydivided at the pommel, aspring or skeleton frame formed from a singlelength of spring-steel wire into two approximately parallelhorizontallydisposed sections alike at opposite sides of the centralline, but reversed, and having separate pommel portions and ovoidalspirals extending out of the pommel portions with the smallereonvolutions downward and forming seat-sections with parallel endsconnected together but independently yielding in each pommelhalf toprovide for the movements of the limbs of the rider in pedaling,substantially as described.

6. In a bicycle-saddle,a skeleton wire spring composed of a singlelength of spring-steel bent double to form a base-loop and having bends,and forward-extending and rising portions with double downward-inclinedbends at the front or pommel portion of the saddle, and backwardoutward-curved portions, ovoidal spirals with the smaller convolutionsdownward and the ends parallel and side by side, clips engaging the saidends and also the parts of the base-loop, acovering comprising an underleather, a surface leather and intermediate felt strips, the upper oneof which strips is formed into a roll along the cantle of the saddle andover which the surface leather is stretched to form a rib, the coveringsbeing divided at the pornmel to coincide with the spring so that thestructure is alike at opposite sides of the central lines but reversed,substantially as set forth.

7. In a bicycle-saddle, a supporting-spring formed from a single lengthof spring-steel wire and comprising a base-loop whose ends are bent overdouble and continued forward and then bent double and continued backwardto form approximately parallel and ad.- j acent but independent pornlnelportions, said wires then being bent outward and around and slightlyupward and returned at the cantle portion to form the seat and the endsthen bent downward and forward and parallel and connected together andto the portions of the said base-loop, substantially as specified.

'8.- In a bicycle-saddle, the combination with thesaddle-support-engaging clip, of a longitudinal forward extendingseatsupporting base-loop mounted at or near its front end at the saidclip, and askeleton frame formed of wire bent to produce a pommel inlateral looped halves with outer rails which are continuous and withhorizontal resilience-coils connecting said pommel outer rails posteriorly with the posterior side of said baseloop, substantially asdescribed.

GEO. PARKER HOLDEN.

In presence of- JOSEPH M. SOHAEFFER, H. NEVILLE DE LISSER.

